Around 2012 marked a crucial inflection point in how work gets organized. The emergence of app-based platforms fundamentally reshaped the labor landscape. What started as premium ride services shifted dramatically into competing for low-wage gigs, and this wasn't incidental—it signaled something bigger. The data shows a clear structural shift from that period onward.

What followed was explosive growth in platform-mediated work. As more people discovered they could earn through these networks, demand skyrocketed. The real winners? Small operators who adapted fast. Whether independent contractors, micro-entrepreneurs, or local service providers, they found ways to leverage these platforms at scale.

This transition reveals how technology doesn't just change existing businesses—it creates entirely new categories of economic participants. The gig model democratized access to income streams that were previously gatekept by traditional employment structures. Small business thrived precisely because barriers to entry collapsed. Anyone with a smartphone and internet access could become a supplier.